The First Kiss

The other day, Dave and I realized that it has been 10 years (this week sometime) since our first kiss. So, I thought I'd share our first kiss story -- because it is a classic!

So, Dave and I were set up on a blind date by our mutual friend Brian. (Brian worked for me, Brian was Dave's roommate). We had a jovial time that first night. Dave called me the next day to say what a good time he'd had. Over the next 2 months we dated sporadically. At this time, my parents were living in Hong Kong and I only saw them every 6 months at General Conference. I was 24, a returned missionary, a graduate of BYU, and SINGLE. If I didn't show up with a boy every 6 months to conference, I would get 'a talk' about making more of an effort, etc. So, I invited Dave. He was a great sport (even though his roommate had accidentally shaved off his hair the day before).

Anyway, back to the first kiss. By the end of the semester (end of April), Dave and I had gone out regularly. His mom was out from Florida visiting Dave's grandma, who had cancer. Dave wanted me to come out and meet his mom. I remember thinking that things were getting too serious if he wanted me to meet his mom. (Remember, I took him to meet my family to avoid another 6 months of sighs from my family). I had decided that Dave and I didn't really have a future. I enjoyed his company, but if I was meeting his family, I needed to let Dave know that I just didn't feel there was much of a future. Also, Dave was leaving the next day to go home to Florida for 10 days and I didn't want to lead him on -- but to break things off before he left.

So, the whole drive home (from Orem to Provo), I went through in my mind what I was going to say -- how I was going to let him know my feelings, etc. He pulled up in the 1991 Honda Accord (now Courtney Despain's car) in front of the scenic dumpster in the parking lot of my apartment building. I got up the nerve and said, "Dave, I have really enjoyed spending time with you these past months. I like you as a friend, but I really can't guarantee that those feelings will ever change into something more. You are welcome to take your chances, but I just wanted to let you know how I felt."

The next thing I know, Dave is kissing me. WHAT? Okay, now for Dave's thought process: of my speech, the only part he heard was "take your chances", so he decided to do just that.

Utterly confused and a little dazed (it's not like I have kissed a lot of people in my life), I got out of the car and tried to replay my words to see how they could have led to that reaction. Dave got out and we started the long hike up the three flights of stairs. Luckily, my roommate came out to let me know my Dad was on the phone from Hong Kong and I need to go talk to him. Dave gave me a quick hug and said he'd call me from Florida.

Over the next 10 days I laughed about the whole thing with my roommates and mission friends. No one could believe that he had done that! And, although my roommates absolutely LOVED Dave and praised his every quality, I had decided that I need to be much more clear with him and end things when he returned.

When he got back, he asked me over for a BBQ with his roommates. Me being the not-so-sensitive person that I was then, I took my roommate along with me so he wouldn't try and kiss me again! After the BBQ, he walked us home. At our house, I wanted to explain my feelings again, so he came in and we sat down on the couch. My mission scrapbook was sitting there and we started looking at it. He sat there for over an hour actually interested in my mission and all the stories that accompanied the pictures. Then, I told him in NO UNCERTAIN TERMS what I was trying to say that night in front of the dumpster. He apologized for misunderstanding. As he was leaving, I gave him a hug, and before I could pull away, there he was kissing me again!

This time, however, I thought, 'What the heck!" and kissed him back. The rest -- as they say -- is history!

P.s. His roommates hold him up high in their books because a girl told him she just wanted to be friends (the line of death), he returned it with a kiss 'so incredible' that I ended up marrying him! :)

P.P.S. I'm so happy I am married to him. He is perfect for me in every way.